Nightmare Superman May Have Sold Me on Infinite Crisis

I’m mildly obsessed with Infinite Crisis, and I’m not sure I understand why. I’m not a fan of MOBAs, and while I love me some superheroes, I don’t feel the need to play every game they’re a part of. Normally, this is the kind of thing I would ignore.

But the lore. Holy crap, the lore is incredible.

The game features multiple universes, all of which are on the brink of destruction. Some, like the steampunk Gaslight universe, are directly inspired by comics. Others, like the Mecha Universe, are straight out of my childhood fantasies. But my favorite has to be the Nightmare Universe.

The Nightmare Universe is a Red Rain-esque world overrun by monsters and darkness. As heroes fought back, many of them were twisted into monsters themselves. It’s got this fantastic Lovecraftian vibe, and I love everything I read about it.

Take Nightmare Superman, the newest champion to join the game. While exploring mysterious Phantom Zone portals, Superman met a creature who’d been slumbering for eons. He managed to defeat the beast, but was corrupted by Phantom Zone energy in the process. When the wounded Superman emerged from the portal, he saw Metropolis had fallen, and everyone in the city had been turned into phantoms. He now wanders the earth, a twisted shadow of his former self.

Now I can’t stop thinking about what else Turbine might do with the Nightmare Universe. Could we see Solomon Grundy as an undead monster hunter? A horrifying werecat version of Catwoman? The Scarecrow as a headless horseman? I’m fascinated by the potential of this universe, and I can’t wait to see more of it.

I’m starting to think I might have to give Infinite Crisis a go. It’s in open beta, and it seems like the perfect time to give the game a try. I could learn to love MOBAs, right?